The Russian Roulette

As Russia advances its interests, the world hopes for a stalled tension the rise of tension between Ukraine and Russia has invited the whole world in this dangerous game of chance, where the major players are Russia, US and the EU, but the consequences can be faced by the whole world.

Currently, according to Ukraine, Russia has deployed about 90,000 troops at the border, while the US intelligence suggest that the continuance of the current scenario can bring about fresh Russian invasion of Ukraine by the next month.

Russia in 2014 became the first European country since the World War II to launch an offensive in some other country and annex the territory of Crimea from Ukraine. This move had come in response to the crossing of so-called “red line” by the US and the EU, which had sought to increase its influence by acquiring new members of NATO. In 2004, NATO added seven members, its fifth expansion and largest one to date, including the former Soviet Baltic republics Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Four years later, when NATO declared its intent to bring Ukraine and Georgia into the fold at some point in the future, Russia made clear a redline had been crossed. In 2008 NATO summit, Russian president Vladmir Putin had warned that inclusion of Ukraine into the alliance would be hostile act against Russia, as both the countries share strong familiar bonds that date back centuries.

Even in the cold war era, Ukraine made up the most important country of the bloc. It was in Nov 2013, that the Russia realized a strong growing western influence in Ukraine when the masses went on protest against Ukrainian government move to join the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union instead of the EU, after which Crimea was acquired, which gave Russia a stronghold in the black sea.

At present, the Russia is trying to get Ukraine out of the EU and US purview, and is seeking assurances against any future induction into the NATO, which isn’t being provided by the US. Putin and Biden are all set to have a talk over the matter via video call today, consequences of which can hamper the market and the world economy, thus this conversation has high stakes, and its more about taking a chance for the world peace.

Updated by Preet Joshi